


3/01/2019: Bucket List

by pop_incognito



Series: 365 Drabbles [3]
Category: Free!
Genre: Bucket List, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, Sydney Harbour Bridge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-03
Updated: 2019-01-03
Packaged: 2019-10-03 12:20:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17283974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pop_incognito/pseuds/pop_incognito
Summary: Rin's bucket list includes more than Olympic gold.





	3/01/2019: Bucket List

**Author's Note:**

> Am I going to cycle through all my Free OTPs before I move onto another fandom for this drabble series? Yes. Yes I am. Deal with it. Kidding. Anyway, have some cute Sourin climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge!

Nerves are playing across Sousuke’s face as the ‘Climb Leader’ adjusts the harness around his waist, and he tries not to look through any of the windows in the room around them. He had been secretly hoping that there wouldn’t be any gear that would fit him, but Sousuke had been quite shocked to learn that being just over six feet tall is neither unusual nor extraordinary – there had been jumpsuits for men all the way to six and a half feet tall and over! Sousuke catches Rin’s eye as the Climb Leader moves on to the next person, and Rin grins at Sousuke, all glinting teeth and excitement.

This escapade had been Rin’s idea, of course it had. Sousuke did not work climbing a giant landmark into his plans for visiting his partner in Sydney. His plans had consisted of swimming, sex, and cuddling a koala at the Taronga Zoo. But Rin was insistent, and Sousuke is weak, especially when Rin pulls out his big, teary eyes and pouts like he means it.

“Why do you look like you’re about to shit yourself?” Rin asks him in quiet Japanese, reaching out to grasp Sousuke’s hand reassuringly. “You’re going to be fine, over four million people have survived this climb before us.”

Sousuke narrows his eyes in a vaguely threatening manner. “Shut up,” is the reply he settles on. The Climb Leader is coming back in their direction, passing ear pieces to the non-Australians in the group so that they don’t have to worry about following fast-paced English while nearly two hundred meters above sea level. “Why do you even want to do this?” he finally cracks, asking Rin the question that has been floating around his head since Rin slid the pamphlet across the breakfast bar towards Sousuke that morning. “You’ve lived here for, like, eight years of your life, why haven’t you already climbed it?”

“I have climbed it,” Rin says simply, eyebrows drawing together slightly. “I sent you a picture, remember?” Yes, Sousuke does remember that photo now that he’s been reminded of it. Rin makes a face at Sousuke, a cute little frown that Sousuke recalls from all the way back in the elementary school days. “But I wanted to climb it with you.” Rin’s cheeks suddenly flush pink, and Sousuke immediately realises that there’s more to Rin’s statement than that.

Squeezing Rin’s hand, Sousuke asks, “Why, though? You’re not scared, are you?” Lightly teasing Rin is helping to ease some of the trepidation he is feeling. As they talk, the Climb Leader takes the small group out onto the platform that starts their journey.

Rin’s blush darkens to a red that almost matches his hair. “Bucket list,” he mutters, his shoulders hiking up as he turns his back to Sousuke and stomping off towards the platform. “It’s something on my bucket list.”

“ _You_ have a bucket list?” Sousuke tries to keep the small giggle out of his voice. As far as he was aware, Rin’s ‘bucket list’ consisted of exactly one thing, and that was winning gold competing at the Olympics. He is completely overcome with the adorable image of Rin’s childhood-self compiling a bucket list on craft paper with coloured markers and glitter glue. Sousuke might have been spending a little too much time with Haruka and Makoto’s little girl. “What has this got to do with a bucket list, though?” He puts on a close imitation of Rin’s voice. “Item eleven: terrify my boyfriend by dragging him up a massive metal bridge.”

Rin whirls around and pokes a sturdy finger into Sousuke’s chest, still flushed in the face. “My homestay family took me up here when I first came to Australia,” he says gruffly, “and they got a really sweet photo of the two of them kissing on the summit in the sunset.” Rin bites his lip, looking down slightly. “Doing that has been on my bucket list ever since.”

The breath is momentarily knocked out of Sousuke, and he reaches up to cup Rin’s face. “Hey, I’m sorry I’m being an ass,” he says. “I’m just nervous. You know heights freak me out.” Sousuke grins easily, thumb brushing over Rin’s cheek softly. “But I’d be more than happy to go up there with you for that. Just promise you’ll hold my hand so I don’t fall, okay?”

“I’d never let you fall, dumbass,” Rin says, and he covers Sousuke’s hand on his face with his own, lacing their fingers together. “Come on then, let’s go!” The sudden return of his excitement is infectious, like a small child on Christmas morning.

The picture the Climb Leader takes of them on the highest arc of Sydney Harbour Bridge takes pride of place on the wall above Sousuke’s bed in his apartment back in Tokyo. Rin has a smaller copy on his fridge in Sydney. Arms wrapped tightly around each other, the two are kissing swiftly in the burning orange sunset, the glittering water of the harbour and the picturesque skyline of Sydney sprawling out behind them.

**Author's Note:**

> I like this one a lot, tell me what you think about it! And check out the other two drabbles already in this challenge :D


End file.
